The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-08-12

A ROADSIDE SKETCH.
incidents are all useful in their way. and
after having the skin taken off your legs you
soon learn to cling tightly to the pedals so
that stones, rough roads and crossings will
not shake You. On we sped down st. Mr.
tins lane, across Trafalgar square, on to the
Thames embankment, around the houses of
parliament, past Westminster abbey and
then the emhankment again. Nor did we
pull up until Cheney Walk, Chelsea, WIS
reached. when. heated and thirsty, looked in
vain for the Old Maggie and Stump" only
to learn that this ancient and historic tavern
had recently been burned down. This was
my first tricycle. ride. Aside from the double
patent skinning process when the pedals
broke loose, | remember little except that
several impertinent street Arabs called out:
"How are you, Buffalo Bill?' alluding, no
doubt, to the slouch hat and the ease with
which sat upon the saddle.
One little girl exclaimed, "Hulo, Jumbo!"
and few bystanders remarked:
"On, say, that's rum CO. Why, if th,'r'
bain't two OH 'em."
We were too busy dcdging cabs and omni-
buses, and getting from under the wheels of
draws and heels of shire horses, to heed triies
of this sort.
Chelsea refreshed us, and leaving the banks
of the Thames we turned up by the old
church at Chelsea and made for the Fulham
road, which brought us down to the river by
Putney bridge Dashing over the bridge
. without dismounting we were in a short
time crossing Putney Heath. The great city
of London was now left behind and slight
up hill grade called to mind the fact that the
had
the ancient town of Kingston broke upon the
landscape. In olden times they used to
crown the Saxon kings here, on a stone block
which is still exhibited. 1t seemed to me
like one OF the busy residence places included
IN greater London. The streets were filed
with carriages and wagons, as it was market
tlav. We lodged through The principal street
of Kingston, across the market pla e, and turn
ing almost due west were soon on the Guiford
road.
We did not set out to do a hundred and
twenty miles the first day. For my own part
I was charmed to feel that was really out
of London, and the height of my ambition
for that day was Gallford, Surrey, about
thirty miles from the starting point. Arriv-
ing at the picturesque village of Esher about
midway between London and Guilford, we
put up at the "Bear" and determined to rest
FOR an hour and take lunch There are the
remains of an old palace here which Cardinal
Wolsey once occupied when the great seal
was taken from him. We had not got far
enough from London to exchange the claw
hammer coated waiter for the rosy faced
rural waitress. The chief possession of the
"Bear" was a smiling bar maid and stiff
and ancient waiter. The latter was one of
those unfortunate persons who dye their
whisaeIs, which were suspicious purple
with white roots.
"lIave you good looking cook who would
dry this neckerchief for me?" said to the
relic i'll black.
ave have kitchen fire, sir, as will dry it
for yer. sir" replied the waiter in an icy tone.
| afEerward learned he was courting the cook,
and hence the snub.
Leaving the @Bear" at Esher, we took to
lie Portsmouth road, and soon reached the
long struggling village of Ripley. the inhub-
itants of which are noted in the annals of
cricketng. From Ripley the road was fairly
good into Guilford and at 4 o'clock in the
afternoon Of the first day out we cautiously
tfept down the steep high street and into the
Angel" yard at Guilfori. As we had stayed
Oh the road at least two hours, the run had
been made in four hours, or seven and a half
miles an hour OF course / was very stiff /
may be pardoned for speaking of my own
feelings. because this was the first expert
ence. One of the objects Of this series of
letters is to establish the fact that Americans
who have never ridden tricycles before, and
Who know nothing - ~glish roads, can Sc
lect road at random extract good deal
of enjoyment and exer ise at the same time.
The illustrations accompanying these let
ters are sketches made by Hal Hurst from
instantaneous photographs taken by Mr.. Will
.on. ROBERT F. PORTER.